Shouting too much irritates the normal working of the throat. Sometimes, when your voice box or vocal cords become inflamed due to overuse, irritation, or infection, it is referred to as Laryngitis. In general, Laryngitis is of two types. The first type is Acute Laryngitis which lasts for the short term, that is about two to three weeks. While the other type of Laryngitis is Chronic Laryngitis which lasts for the long term, about three or more weeks. The disease might not be fatal or life-threatening, but it can disturb you mentally and can also affect your daily life cycle. Several conditions are possible to cause inflammation, which may result in Laryngitis. Some important factors which can cause Laryngitis including environmental factors, Viral infections, and Bacterial Infections.
Since the disease may occur due to viral and bacterial infections, which are highly contagious, so the infants and children can be prone to disease if they are frequently around other children. Even too much singing or yelling by children can also result in the condition of Laryngitis. This may cause bumps to form on their vocal cords. Both types of diseases have different causes and methods of treatment. For instance, Acute laryngitis is a temporary condition caused by overusing the vocal cords. Other things that can cause it are:
- Viral Infections
- Straining your Vocal Cords by Talking or Yelling
- Bacterial Infections
- Drinking too Much Alcohol
On the other hand, Chronic Laryngitis can be caused due to
- Frequent Exposure to harmful Chemicals and Allergens
- Acid Reflux
- Frequent Sinus Infections
- Smoking or Being Around Smokers
- Overusing Your Voice
- Low-Grade Yeast Infections caused by Frequent use of an Asthma Inhaler.
Symptoms of Laryngitis
No matter if the Laryngitis is Acute or Chronic, the symptoms of the disease are always mild and can be treated by giving your voice a break. Drinking water or other noncaffeinated fluids will help to lubricate the throat and decrease the effects of the following symptoms:
- Weakened Voice
- Loss of Voice
- Hoarse, Dry Throat
- Constant Ticking or Minor Throat Irritation
- Dry Cough
Diagnosing and Treating Laryngitis
Because the disease affects your vocal cords and voice box, therefore the diagnosis and treatment of Laryngitis are compulsory. The diagnostic process often starts with a visual diagnosis, which uses a special mirror to view your vocal cords. Sometimes, there comes a need for a Laryngoscopy test. This test is done to magnify the voice box for easy viewing. Then the doctor will look for the following signs of Laryngitis:
- Irritation
- Redness
- Lesions on the Voice Box
- Widespread Swelling, a Sign of Environmental Causes of Laryngitis
- Vocal Cord Swelling, which may be a sign that you’ve overused your vocal cords.
There is no treatment available for Laryngitis. Treatment options are only used to ease the symptoms. Because the disease goes on its own. Acute Laryngitis requires no treatment. Just use several medications to avoid the symptoms of pain. While for vocal cords, treatment may include Phonosurgery. Also, try to avoid too much smoking.
